Author: Maryem

Fruit Farming

How to Do Watermelon Farming?

Author ByMaryem

Watermelon is a highly cultivated vine-like flowering plant present in more than thousands of varieties. A fleshy sweet Plantae helps to relax blood vessels with high nutrition and low in calories. 

Watermelon has its fondness among the people by its sauce preferences among the varieties of fruits. The presence of potassium, vitamin A and C make it mealier and provide multiple health benefits i.e., prevent stroke, control blood pressure, obesity, and overweight as well. 

Watermelon farming needs a temperature higher than 25-degree Celcius. They have an extended, delicate, and climbing stem throughout his farming life cycle through germination to growing into a whole fruit. 

In the early stage of farming, watermelon has highly dense fleecy hair which is muddy in color and vanishes in the passing time. 

Also Read: How to Nurture the Dragon Fruit

Watermelon Cultivation 

Watermelon seeds implant in a pot and relocate in the loamy soil for mid-level of nitrogen for enhancing the growth of the fruit. In an excess humid climate, watermelon suffers from pests like root-knot nematodes, fruit flies, and aphids.

Watermelon requires more than 85 days becoming a full-grown fruit than the other melon. Horticulture in Japan grows cubic watermelons for their convenience to store as they use metal and glass boxes for improving grain.

Due to present in the variety of cubic, square, and pyramid shape, they are pricy to purchase rather than the original shaped one. This shaped type of watermelon only belongs to the wealthy class of the consumer or buyers.

Watermelon cultivation can be done in numerous ways according to its harvest time and weight.     

The Carolina cross produced the heaviest watermelon 29to 68 kilograms in about 90 days.

The little golden person takes 70 days from sowing to harvest. 

Orangelo weight 9 to 14 kilogram and take 90 to 100 days till the fruit harvest 

Cream of Saskatchewan grows in cold climate and harvest in 80 to 85 days

Moon and star are weighing 9 to 23 kilograms and harvest in 90 days 

Densuke watermelon is firstly harvest and weighing 11 kgs

Melitopolski is highly cultivated in the region of Russia and take 95 days to harvest

watermelon farming

Watermelon farming in horticulture shows a variety of improvements for the production of watermelon. Its hard crust made it more accessible to transport it from one place to another due to its oblong shape as well. Improvement in geographical conditions also provides to get an elastic environment for the cultivation of watermelons.

Watermelon is the garden-variety fruit that every grocery sells more often. China is the largest producer, and more than 40 states of the United States are cultivating watermelons. It is a smaller shaped variety of melons known as icebox melons as they have red and yellow color flesh. 

Some of the groups are also seen in the variety of watermelon, which shows the variation in taste and texture of its flesh.

·        Citroides group is a fleecy melon cultivated in the world for fodder with sweet yellow flesh.

·        The Lanatus group is food for the traveler in the Kalahari Desert. Seeds are edible in this group and having juicy white meat. 

·         Vulgaris group is widely cultivated for the consumption of human and cattle feed as well.

Watermelon is mainly consumed in summer; it contains water more than 85%, and the rest is sugar with low-fat properties. It mixes with other fruit juices, wine, or pickles. Watermelon seeds are also consumed by a human after the roast and dried up.

In China, people consume seeds of watermelon on the eve of china new year, and in Vietnamese, people consume seeds as a snack on the Vietnamese New Year holiday.

Watermelon zest has vile flavors, which is used in making pickles, and people were making vegetables by stewing and stir-frying. Watermelon zest produces Amino acid citrulline.

Only vitamin c present in a significant amount and a low amount of nutrients with 30 calories per 100 grams of serving. It is also known as state vegetable or fruit in Oklahoma State due to its versatility of consumption. 

Watermelon Farming Through Seeds

Watermelons grow from seed. You might be tempted to use seed from a melon you purchased, but it would just be time wasted. There are chances of it being a hybrid one. Hybrid is somewhat different from crosses not true to nature. Then, you would probably end up cultivating what is generally termed as pig-melons, which is nice to feed pigs only and not human beings. 

What Kind Of Seeds To Buy For Watermelon Farming?

If possible, pick the open-pollinated heirloom variety of seed, if necessary. You will find far better and fascinating types in the heirlooms than in the regular collections at the local gardening center. 

Start your watermelon seeds in the field, where they will spread. To germinate, the soil should be at least 18 ° C.

 What Is The Right Approach To Watermelon Farming?

Do NOT plant your watermelon seed in a container or big bowl, unless you have an incredibly short growing season. Neither buys watermelon seedlings from a nursery. Watermelon seeds germinate within a few days, simply and rapidly. 

Watermelon plants quite quickly outgrow the seedling stage and do not like transplantation. You don’t save a great deal of time, and you end up with a poorer vine.

Avoid all this needless hard work and stick your seeds in the dirt, about 2 cm or an inch deep.

Watermelon Vines Need A Lot Of Care

The watermelons need soils that are dark, warm, and permeable. It allows the land to develop melons. There are some benefits of growing the soil: A slab or hill is free draining. If you have thick clay dirt, bring the bed certainly up.

Mounds are beautiful even when the soil is somewhat unfortunate. To raise watermelons, make a mound of healthy soil with plenty of compost in it. Often, after using much of the compost, farmers plant them in what’s remaining over from a compost pile.

When you want to grow stuff in tidy circles, or if you’re going to plant a broad field, raise watermelons on ridges, much as the growers do.

 The Benefit Of Mulching

Watermelon cultivation needs to be very diligently done. A few things like mulching that one needs to keep in mind. Melons have deep roots and require plenty of water. Therefore, you need to ensure that the field is never dry out, in case it dries, so mulch helps. 

Mulch holds weeds down. Weeding may disrupt the strong roots, so it’s best not to let them rise. Watermelons are starving animals. 

If your mulch is like compost or old animal manures, it’s excellent. Watermelons can tolerate relatively fresh manure and fertilizers. 

Otherwise, periodically feed the watermelons with anything like pelleted manure or other sustainable fertilizer.

Once the vines are two meters thick, pinch the ends. Encourage branching. When your watermelon vines get bigger, they seek to take up more space. Unless they start smothering specific stuff, you should warn them to keep to their region by smoothing the ends of the vines, so they develop in the right direction.

Watermelon Harvesting 

watermelon harvest

Watermelon is a summer delight fruit loved by all ages. In addition to its great taste, it provides lycopene refreshment in the hot summer. It requires relocation after the germination of seeds more than 75-degree F and for growth more than 65 degrees F. 

Throughout the watermelon cultivation, watermelon requires a warm season to grow as their sizes, shape and texture of zest vary from climate, so their best production came from the south and southwest regions of the United States.

Must Read: How to plant, grow, and harvest pumpkins correctly 

For cultivating watermelon, it requires a heavier feeder than the other fruits. Before planting, the soil has to be compost and manure was rotted in it to provide the warmness to the sown seeds. 

Sown seeds start growing in the form of fruit; then fertilizers were mainly starting dressing up side by side. It requires a ph scale of 6 to 6.5 and more than 80 days of the warm summer season to grow up.

It is a fragile fruit to time in sandy, muddy soil. The soil will be moist, and water needed in the field will be 1 to 2 inches per week. Watermelon farming soil contains a high amount of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, but after illuminating it into flowers, it needs less nitrogen for further growth. 

Watermelon elevates in a row sun-dried atmosphere, as they are not much sweeter as they are ripe, so the harvesting part plays a vital role in the life span of watermelon. The texture and color of a watermelon show whether the fruit is ripe or not.

Pests of Watermelon: 

The leading watermelon killer is leaf-eating beetles (also destroying the flowers), including painted and dotted flea beetles, pumpkin beetles with or without markings, whatever you call them.

They all look alike, all doing the very same: nibble away on your watermelon plants. However, if they are a significant concern, it’s just an indication that your watermelon is stressed.

In a safe climate and decent soil, stable watermelon does not draw so many beetles. A watermelon should also grow quickly enough to manage any beetles.

The other primary concern with rising watermelons is mildew, a disease that makes the leaves appear like white dust. Fungus thrives in wet environments.

In the tropics, you may not be able to avoid beetles or mildew until the rainy season build-up starts. And it’s not worth it anyway… 

The unbearable heat and humidity aren’t healthy produced watermelon conditions. Develop anything that needs rain, waiting for another dry season to produce watermelons.

Conclusion

In this guide on how to do watermelon farming, we have tried to explain all those steps and techniques that are required to produce a quality crop. However, you are solely responsible for crop failure for any reason. Don’t worry, this is not a kind of alarming signal. It’s just a precautionary statement. In the end, we would like to advise you to take any watermelon farming-related decisions at your discretion.  

Fruit Farming

Pumpkin Farming: how to plant, grow, and harvest pumpkins correctly and properly

Author ByMaryem

There is no fall without pumpkins. Be it big, mini, orange, white, carved, and most importantly pie or any other kind, almost all love pumpkins. Pumpkin farming is done mostly over a large patch of land, for better quality and size. Pumpkins are used in cooking as well as in carving during Halloween for decorations. Several pumpkin farms sell well in other seasons. Farming is easy to maintain if you have sufficient space. These crops will flourish just about anywhere with the right care.

Steps to Follow for the Best Fruit

Pre planting preparation

Pre-planning is important even if you are growing pumpkins as they are very tender. Pumpkin plants grow as a vine, which can easily reach 20 to 30 feet long in the course of its growing season. 

Also Read: Sweet Potato Farming Information Guide

Pre-plan the time to plant seeds:

Pumpkins do require a long growing season. Generally, it takes 75 to 100 frost-free days to grow. So, it is advised to carry pumpkin cultivation by late May in Northern locations and by early July in the extreme Southern places. Plant the seeds after the frost has passed. If you are planning for a fall harvest, then plant them in late spring or early summer. Again, if pumpkins are planted too early, they may soften and rot.

Selecting a site to plant seeds:

Pumpkins prefer full sun. Pick a site with full sunlight to light shade. A spot under a tree or in the shadow of a building would not serve your purpose. Pumpkins grow annually on heavy grown vines. The site should also have lots of space for sprawling vines. An open space of 25 to 30 feet will serve your purpose of pumpkin cultivation. A Pumpkin farm does not take the whole yard. Besides, it should also have a good drainage system. The site should not have standing water after heavy rains as well as a shelter from cold wind.

Preparing the soil to plant seeds:

Pumpkin seeds do not germinate if your soil is cold. Beware; the seedlings are destroyed by frost. They prefer very rich soil, which is not too soggy. Checking the soil temperature is also very important. The soil temperature should be at least 70 degrees Fahrenheit as pumpkin is a tender crop. You need to wait until the soil is warmed, naturally. Otherwise, pumpkins will start to rot. An extra boost for your pumpkin farming is to prepare your soil beforehand. Digging holes to plant the pumpkin seeds and filling them with a mixture of compost one week before planting seeds is advisable. 

Choosing the seeds:

You can choose your yield from three different varieties of pumpkins. Here are three varieties of pumpkins for you to grow in your backyard: pie-pumpkins for cooking. Large decorative pumpkins to carve out for Halloween.Mini pumpkins for decorating purposes again.

Planting the seeds

Pumpkins grow well when the seeds are planted in the ground directly.

Plant the seeds in wide-spaced rows:

Plant the pumpkin seeds in rows. They will creep along with the vines. Depending on the variety of your pumpkin seeds space the rows 6 to 10 feet apart. Mini pumpkins will take small space to grow while the larger ones need more space. The Bush-type variety of pumpkins needs 8feet space in all directions to grow fully. They grow on shorter vines.

The perfect depth to plant the seeds:

The most important step towards pumpkin cultivation is to build the pumpkin-hills. The pumpkin-hill is a small hill built on the ground. Accumulate the soil where you want to plant the seed then give it a shape of a hill using your palms. The hill keeps the soil warmer by allowing the sun to heat it faster. It improves the cultivation by providing natural drainage. Plant the seeds 1-2 inches deep in the hills. You can plant 2 or 3 seeds within a few inches from one another.

Covering the seeds:

After you have properly planted, your seeds now cover them up with compost. The compost mixture prevents the growth of weeds and nourishes the seeds planted. A thin layer of compost mixture in the areas where you have planted your seeds is enough to nurture your seeds properly.

Taking care of the plants

Taking the right care of your seeds will do the magic for your pumpkin farming. With proper care, the plants will sprout within about a week.

  • Watering:

Every plant needs watering, and pumpkin is no different. When the soil temperature is low, it is the right time to water the pumpkin plants. Pumpkins are very sensitive to moisture. Over moisture will injure the plants. Adding more water to wet soil will do no good for farming. Rather adding less water to dry soil is ideal. Let the water soak deep into the soil before adding further water. As the roots grow deep into the soil, the water must reach the plants deeply.

In pumpkin cultivation, you need to water deep down at least 6 inches to moisten the soil. Water only the stem of the plant. Avoid watering the leaves. Wet leaves are the ideal place for fungus to grow. Powdery mildew is one of them. It causes the plant to die by bewildering the leaves of the plants. Watering in the sun is more preferable than in the night. Use a garden hose equipped with a mist ling nozzle for watering the plant. Decrease the amount of water as the pumpkins grow and turn orange in color.

  • Pollinating the blossoms:

The first thing that comes to anyone’s mind is how do pumpkins grow. Pumpkins depend on bees to pollinate their blossoms. If you do not see active bees in your gardens, self-pollinate using your hands. You must get your female flowers fertilized to get the pumpkins.

Must Read: Growing the Avocado – The Healthiest food

The female flowers show up later with a swollen base below the petals, which helps you to identify them. Male flowers show up first. They are thin and straight flowers. Self-pollination includes transferring pollen from the male flower to the female flower. An artist’s brush will help you in this process.

Wear gloves on your hands. Brush the male flower with the artist’s brush to collect the pollen from it. Going to the female flowers, brush only the center of the female flower to allow the pollen to settle on them. Be gentle with the blossoms as they are very delicate. In the mornings, the female flowers remain open for half a day.

After that, they shut themselves up and do not open until the next morning. If you accurately do the self-pollination then you will surely get the best results out of them. Too many fertilizers will reduce the rate of pollination. It will negatively influence your fruit set.

  • Fertilizing:

Adding fertilizers to your pumpkin farm encourages the growth of the plants. When the plants first sprout add the fertilizer to keep them healthy. Go to a local nursery and choose the fertilizer accordingly from them. Side dressing is also important. It means spreading the fertilizer around the plants close enough for their roots to eat-up.it is ideal to side-dress the vines once a week after the blossoms start appearing.

  • Controlling weeds and pests:

To make most out of your pumpkin cultivation, make sure you control the weeds and pests growing around them. Monitor your pumpkin farm throughout its growing process to have control over them. Weed the patch often to prevent the growth of them around your pumpkin plants.

Planning a weed a few times a week is good for your farming. Conserving your soil moisture by cleaning the weeds is also important. Beetles grow on the plant leaves and eat the plant tissues. Check the leaves to remove them. Scrape them off the whole plants twice a week to save the plants. Aphids threaten garden plants a lot.

They mostly grow on the underside of the leaves of the plant. Taking care of a pumpkin farm is highly recommended, otherwise, they will kill your plants. Spraying water on them will do the work. But, spray the water in the morning so the leaves get enough time to dry under the sun.

Squash bugs are another variety of pests that grow especially later in summer. Poor light will enhance the growth of pests. Go to your local nursery and ask about organic pesticides if necessary. 

Harvesting the pumpkins

pumpkin harvest time
Check the pumpkins:

Pumpkins typically take 95 to 120 days to fully mature after they are planted. Check to see whether they are ready to harvest or not. They should have a bright orange color. Their shell should be hard. Do not harvest the pumpkins if they are still soft. Allow them to become hard before cutting them from their plants. Their stems will remain soft. But, the vine will start drying out itself. They will also start to wither on their own.

Cut the stems:

Do not break the stems; it will destroy your pumpkins. Cut the pumpkins from the stems with the help of a pair of shears to keep them intact. While you cut the stem make sure to leave the stem a few inches long. A liberal amount of stem (3 to 4 inches) will increase the life of the pumpkins never after cutting.

Store the pumpkins:

After cutting the pumpkins from the plants keep them in a cool and dry place. Wet and moisture places can make them rot. Keeping them away from humidity, damp, and direct sunlight is advisable. They do not need any kind of refrigeration also. Pumpkins can be kept for many months after harvesting. To avoid molds and fungi, a little spray of mild chlorine before storage does the work perfectly. Maintain a storage temperature of around 55 degrees Fahrenheit. 

Conclusion

Just remember to water well and often. Watch the plants often for pests. Clean the ground and make it weed-free. Fertilize regularly. Last but not least is to watch the fruit grow bigger and bigger! Handle the pumpkins gently or they may bruise. Follow the above-given steps to make the most out of your cultivation.

Livestock farming

Is Quail Farming a Profitable Business?

Author ByMaryem

Raising and nurturing quails for commercial purposes, like many other poultry birds, is known as “quail farming.” It is an immensely profitable business, especially for small farmers struggling with their budgets. As a quail farmer, you can produce both eggs and meat and make decent money by selling them.

Raising quail is surprisingly easy, entertaining, and lucrative. You don’t have to do a lot of work to maintain your quail farm, because quails are one of the smallest poultry birds and are pretty easy to maintain.

Japanese scientists are known for starting the farming of quail birds, and the commercial quail farming gained a lot of property in Japan, and then almost all around the world. Like all other bird farming ventures, including chicken, duck, and turkey, quail farming is very profitable. You can start your quail farming business without thinking much about the area, conditions, and weather, etc. In this guide, we are trying to deal with various aspects of quail farming. Let’s discuss everything in detail.

Also Read: The A to Z of Commercial Sheep Farming – A Step to Step Guide

Why quail farming is a great business idea?

  • Quail eggs are considered as the most nutritious eggs, especially when compared to other poultry eggs.
  • These little eggs are even suitable for diabetic patients.
  • Quail eggs contain a decent amount of protein, iron, phosphorus, vitamin A, B1, and B2.
  • The demand for food and nutrition is only increasing with time, and quail bird farming can play a crucial role in meeting that demand.
  • Farming of quail birds requires very small initial labour and capital.
  • Farmers can raise quail birds even with other poultry birds for egg and meat production.

Other interesting qualities of quail birds.

  • They are very small in size, and hence it is very easy to raise a lot of birds in a small area.
  • The average weight of an adult quail is between 150 to 200 grams, and the weight of eggs is around 7 to 15 grams.
  • Female quails usually start laying eggs at the 6th or 7th week of their life, and they can continuously lay one egg every day, of course, if they remain healthy.
  • A healthy female quail lays as many as 300 birds in the first year of its life. The production of eggs reduces gradually after the first year, and the bird produces almost half the number of eggs in the second year.
  • The Californian quail is considered as the most beautiful and handsome of all quail breeds around the world. It is California’s state bird since 1932 and is mainly raised as a pet or simply as a hobby.
  • Quail egg is very healthy for humans, as it contains 2.47% less fat than a chicken egg.
  • A lot of people also believe that quail egg helps prevent diabetes and blood pressure.
  • Like other birds, quail don’t incubate their eggs themselves. You will have to use brooder chickens or an incubator to hatch their eggs.

Life cycle and laying habits of quail birds

A healthy quail usually survives for 3 to 4 years. The average weight of a newly born quail chick is around 6 to 7 grams. They are very weak and sensitive in the beginning and become stronger after a couple of weeks. As mentioned earlier, they don’t incubate their eggs at all, and hence, you should keep one male quail for every five female quails. Quails generally lay their eggs in the afternoon, and the presence of decent light enhances the egg-producing capacity of quails. Eggs weighing around 9 to 11 grams having a hard and smooth shell are ready to hatch and produce chicks.

Starting a quail farming business

Quail bird farming is very easy and straightforward to start, as it doesn’t require a huge space. But having a proper business plan can make life very easy for you. Your plan should include breeding, feeding, caring, housing, and strong marketing strategies. Let’s have a look at the initial steps for a successful quail farming business.

Selecting from a wide range of quail breeds

Presently, there are as many as 18 quail species are available. It means the scope for profit is immense. Some of the species are suitable for meat production, while some are very good for producing eggs. So, if you are clear whether you will be raising quail for meat or eggs, it will be massively helpful for the future. Some of the most popular quail breeds for farming are mainly divided into two groups.

Layer Quail Breeds

  • British Range
  • English White
  • Pharaoh
  • Tuxedo
  • Manchurian Golden

Broiler Quail Breeds

  • American Bobwhite
  • Indian White-Breasted

Management Practice

  • Keep the cage clean

This is massively important if you want to keep your quails healthy. Clean the cage thoroughly at least every couple of weeks to prevent diseases due to bacteria and mites. Wash the water containers and feeders regularly, and refill them every day with fresh food and water.

  • Lighting

Ensure decent enough exposure of light to your quails. It doesn’t matter what types of quail you are raising; proper lighting is a must. Almost all quail breeds need at least 8 hours, but not more than 15 hours of lighting.

  • Keep the surrounding calm.

Avoid unnecessary noise around the quails. Try to keep the surroundings as calm as possible. A noisy atmosphere can be dangerous for quails like most of the other farming birds. Quails need proper sleep to stay active, funny, and healthy. Either transfer them in a dark room in the evening or adjust the place accordingly to balance enough light throughout the day and darkness after evening.

  • Don’t forget to collect eggs daily.

If you want to have fresh and healthy eggs, ensure collecting them at once every day, especially during summer. Try to keep eggs in a cool place; keeping them in a fridge is a great idea!

  • Ensure gentle taming

Taming is important, as well as a tough part of raising quail. It is pretty challenging to tam the fully-grown quail. But, if you know how to handle them, it can be fairly easy. Try grabbing them and playing with them occasionally. Offer them foods with your hands, visit them multiple times throughout the day. In short, always be very gentle while taming your quails.

  • Clipping

You wouldn’t want to do this, but you don’t have any other option either! Unlike chickens and ducks, quails are amazing flyers, and they can go a very long distance, especially if they are afraid. Clip their wings regularly to ensure they don’t fly easily. Sounds a bit harsh? But, that’s the part of bird farming business.

  • Feeding

If you want to gain decent profit through your quail farming business, feeding your quails adequately is very important. Provide them with healthy, nutritious, and well-balanced food. And they don’t require a lot of food either! A healthy quail munches on only 20 to 30 grams of food in a day! That’s it! Feed them with healthy and fresh foods to maintain their health and, in result, decent productivity.

Here is the age-wise diet chart for raising quail healthily

IngredientsAge
 0-3 Weeks4-5 WeeksAdult
Broken wheat485050
Sesame cake232222
Kipper fish201614
Rice Bran689
Broken oyster shell2.253.254.25
Salt0.500.500.50
Mineral mix0.250.250.25
Total (percentage)100100100
  • Water

In addition to ensuring a healthy and nutritious diet, you will also have to maintain the availability of enough fresh and clean water for your quails. They won’t drink a lot of water, but there should be multiple pots of water every time so that they can drink whenever they want.

  • Egg Production

As already discussed earlier, quails need adequate light to produce eggs on time. Providing artificial heat and light is also a great idea.

To maintain the breeding process properly, keep one male quail for every five females.

Keep the surrounding very clean as well as dry.

Select highly productive breeds to ensure better egg production.

Different types of quail at different ages need different periods of light. You can understand this through this chart.

AgeTemperature (Celsius)Light (Hour)
1 Week3524
2 Week3024
3 Week2512
4 Week21-2212
5 Week2112
6 Week2113
7 Week2114
8 Week2115
9 Week2116
Beyond Ninth Week2116
Some essential equipment to keep your quails healthy and happy
  • Water container

Quails are pretty small in size. And hence, all types of quail need small containers of water. Avoid placing deep too deep containers to ensure they get water very easily, and to avoid the risk of drowning. Keep the container full of fresh, clean water.

  • Feeder

To ensure feeding all birds adequately, keep the number of feeders equal to the number of birds. Your aim should be to ensure all the birds can have easy access to both food and water.

  • Small plants

Quails love small plants, and if you can pot a few small plants around their housing, they will be very happy. Quails are very curious about their surroundings and love a little bit of nature around them. Just ensure that the plants are not toxic to your quails.

  • Provide enough hiding spots

Quails love small hiding spots. And you can provide those spots by placing a few large hamster huts inside the cages.

  • Sand Tub

Dust is a massively important part of quails’ survival. They need a dust bath on a daily basis to be happy and healthy. And dust can also play a key role in keeping parasites away. Place a few sand tubs around the quails, but away from water containers to make your quails feel comfortable.

  • Diseases affecting quails

Diseases are not very common in quails as compared to poultry birds like chickens and ducks. Proper care, clean atmosphere, and healthy nutrition, etc. are enough to avoid diseases while raising quail. Although diseases in quails are not common, a couple of diseases noticed in quails are:

  • Coccidiosis:

It is the most common condition affecting quail. Improper hygiene around the quails is responsible for this condition, as the protozoa invade the intestinal walls of quails. Some clinical signs of coccidiosis are diarrhea with a bit of blood, decreased feed and water consumption, sudden weight loss, ruffled feathers, and droopiness, etc. If you notice any of these signs, don’t waste any time and contact a qualified veterinarian.

TIP: You can mix two grams of coaxial 20 per two-liter of water and give them thrice a day to manage coccidiosis.

Must Read: Growing the Avocado – The Healthiest food

  • Ulcerative enteritis:

It is a highly contagious, acute condition affecting chickens and quails. Bacterium clostridium colinum causes this disease. There are ulcers in the caecae and intestines of the quails. Ulcerative enteritis is the biggest cause of quails’ death worldwide, with a mortality of 100%! Clinical signs may include drooping wings, listlessness, watery white feces, anemia, diarrhea, ruffled feathers, retracted necks. Ulcerative enteritis can completely derail your efforts of quail bird farming. Therefore, even in one bird, if you notice any of these symptoms, don’t waste any time and give proper treatment. Otherwise, it won’t take so long to affect all other birds!

TIP: One-gram streptomycin with a little amount of water is pretty effective against ulcerative colitis. But you should not forget to get in touch with a veterinarian.

So, that’s all about our guide for quail farming. Whether you are raising quail for meat or eggs, you should keep these basic but important points in mind. If you are smart enough, you can earn decent benefits from this low investment farming. Hopefully, you are now in a better space to start your own business. Both quail meat and eggs are a rich source of nutrients and are in demand from shop owners and the general public. Don’t think much about marketing scopes, as you will find it pretty easy to market your products. Good luck for the future!

Fruit Farming

Kiwi Farming, Planting, Growing & Harvesting

Author ByMaryem

Kiwi farming is predominantly carried out in the USA, Japan, Italy, China, Chile, France, Spain, Australia, and New Zealand.  Kiwi is also known as Chinese gooseberry is an edible berry that has high medicinal and nutritional value. Kiwi is a deciduous vine fruit which is oval in shape and it is about the size of a Chicken’s egg.

The fruit grows on a vine that is as high as 30 feet tall and is woody. The fruit has fibrous, thin, tart, and fuzzy edible skin. The fruit is similar to grapes as it is also grown in clusters. Kiwi has light green or golden colour flesh inside and has tiny black edible seeds. Kiwi is soft-textured and has a unique flavour.

Kiwi is rich in Vitamin C and vitamin B and other minerals such as calcium, phosphorus, and potassium. Kiwi can be consumed fresh or can be mixed with other fruits in desserts and salads. The kiwi fruit is also used in the preparation of wines and squash. In India, Kiwi farming is done in Kerala, Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Meghalaya, and Jammu & Kashmir.

Health Benefits

Kiwi fruits are excellent antioxidants and anti-aging agent. Thus it aids in the improvement of the skin. The respiratory and cardiovascular system also benefits from the consumption of the fruit. The presence of serotonin is beneficial to treat sleep issues. Furthermore, the kiwi fruit also has antifungal and antibacterial properties.

Types of Kiwi Fruit

Hayward is a New Zealand variety that is grown globally. However, kiwi fruit is majorly available in three varieties: Hardy kiwifruit (Actinidiaarguta), Super-hardy kiwifruit (Actinidiakolomikta), and Grocery store kiwifruit (Actinidiadeliciosa).

Hardy kiwifruit is also known as ‘bowerberry’ and it grows on the trees that are as tall as 100 feet in Siberia, Korea, Japan, and China. This variety of kiwi fruit can tolerate low temperatures.

Super-hardy kiwi fruit is smaller but smooth-skinned. It can grow in temperature as low as -40°F. The fruit is also known as ‘arctic beauty kiwi fruit’.

Grocery store kiwi fruit is also known as fuzzy kiwifruit. This variety of kiwi is large in size and is the most common and edible variety.

The other types of kiwi fruit known are Tewi, Bruno, Monty, Tomuri, Elmwood, Saanicheton, Abbott, Chico, Gracie, Dexter, Matua, Allison, and Vincent.

Where do Kiwis Grow?

It is essential to cultivate a crop in a correct season and with ideal soil requirements. Kiwi fruit can be grown in well-drained, fertile, and moist soil. The presence of potassium, nitrogen, and phosphorus is essential during the vegetative stage of the fruit.

The best pH range of the soil should be from 6.3-7.3 to get maximum yield from the crop. The ideal kiwi fruit farming weather is low temperatures. However, kiwi needs protection from moisture throughout the year. The fruit should also be shielded against frosts. The ideal temperature for growing kiwis is below 38°C. A temperature higher than 38°C can cause sunburn to the crop.

Kiwi fruits can be grown where almonds, citrus, and peaches are abundant. However, the leaves are more susceptible to cold in comparison to the peach or orange trees. The young plant of kiwi fruit can be harmed if the temperature falls below -1°C while the vines that are mature can handle the temperature lower than -12°C. It is essential to protect the young flowering shoots from wind as it can damage the crop easily.

How to Grow Kiwi from Seed?

To grow kiwi from the seeds or planting a kiwi from seed is not a hard job. The first step is to collect the seeds of the kiwi fruit from the available ripe fruit. The gooey membrane needs to be separated from the seeds and thus seeds have to be placed in water and then blended. With the help of the colander, wash the seeds in the sink. The cleaned seeds can then be transferred to the paper towel.

A plastic ziplock is used to store the paper towel containing the seeds. The ziplock is later placed into warm container. The sprouting process takes around 2-6 weeks. Once the seeds start the sprouting or germinating, the paper towel is split into small pieces. The seedlings are then transplanted into the pit made on the small pot for 2-3 months. Keep the kiwi vines in adequate sunlight as the plant requires light.

Also Read: Strawberry Farming – A business that promises a “delicious” future

Steps of Kiwi Fruit Germination

  1. Separate seeds out of a ripe and organic kiwi and then clean them by water rinsing. The easy way is to place the seeds in the cup, add water and then swish them. Later on, remove the water out of the cup. This process has to be repeated multiple times for proper cleaning.
  2. The small container or cup is then filled with lukewarm water and the kiwi seeds are transferred to it. The cup or container hasto be placed in the warm environment such on the warm window sill, in front of heater, or on the top of the computer. The seeds are to be kept in water for about a week or until they start separating. The water present in the cup has to be changed daily to inhibit the bacterial growth.
  3. As soon as the seeds begin to open, they are ready to get transferred to mini greenhouse. The paper towel is soaked in lukewarm water and placed on the plate on which the seeds are distributed. The distributed germinating seeds are then covered with plastic container and placed in the area getting sufficient sunlight. It is recommended to make small holes in the container to allow the air to flow smoothly. This is the ideal condition for the seed to germinate faster. The kiwi seeds would be ready for planting only after 2 days in the greenhouse.
  4. Once the seeds are germinated properly, it is the right time for the planting process. But before planting it is mandatory to prepare the container or pot. The soil in the pot should contain sufficient moisture and this should be done by transferring the soil in a bucket and then mixing water to the soil until it is damp in nature.
  5. The container should be completely filled with the moist soil. An inch of space should be left below the rim of the pot.
  6. Now the seeds are ready to be planted. The pots are then sprinkled with the seeds keeping few inches distance from each other. It is advisable to plant each seed in a separate tiny pot to make the transplanting process easy and smooth. Once the seeds are in the pot, spread a thin layer of soil over them. The seeds should be planted at a depth of around two times their length.
  7. Once planting is done, water the seeds using can or squirt bottle. Transfer the pot in a warm and sunny area to get sufficient light. Take care of the seeds by watering and feeding them regularly.

Nutritional requirements and Fertilizers for Kiwi Plant

A dose of fertilizer consisting of 0.5 kg NPK mixture with 15% N and 20 kg farmyard manure is suggested every year for the plant.  High amount of chlorine is also required by the plant as its deficiency can negatively influence the development of roots and shoots of the plant.

Contrary, high level of sodium and boron can be very harmful to the plant. The two equal doses of nitrogen are applied. The young vines get the necessary nutrients of the fertilizer from the soil as the fertilizer is mixed to the soil. The entire soil surface is provided with fertilizer once the plant attains maturity.

Propagation in Kiwi Farming

On the commercial level, the crop is propagated by planting vegetative cuttings or via grafting technique.

Spacing in Kiwi Farming

Planting the crop at a sufficient distance is essential to get maximum yield out of the crop. The distance varies depending on the propagation method used. For the commercial plantation of kiwi, Pergola Training system or T-bar training system are used. In the Pergola system, the row to row distance is about 6m and the plant-to-plant distance is 5-6m. In case of T-bar training system, row-to-row spacing is 3.5m whereas plant-to-plant distance is approximately 6m.

To increase the pollination rate, male plants should also be planted in the garden and the ratio should be 1 male to 6-8 female plants. Insects are also a useful vehicle for pollination of the crop as this fruit plant aren’t self-pollinating plants.

Intercropping in Kiwi Crop

The initial kiwi farming can get the benefits if vegetables and leguminous crops are planted together with the kiwi crop.

Diseases and Pests in Kiwi Plants

Rots in the roots of the plant can be caused by Phytophthora soil fungi and majorly in the soil containing water. The humid conditions results in the development of Botrytis cinera rot that causes infestation in young fruit.

Irrigation in Kiwi Fruit Farming

Watering the plant at regular intervals is essential for the setting of crop as well as fruit. The complete growth cycle of the crop requires adequate amount of water. The hardy kiwi crop gets ready for harvesting in 3-4 years. Thus, this crop is in need of water for at least 3 yearsin the field.

However, it is essential not to over water the crop. Once the crop gets the necessary water content, it spreads its foliage to the surface of the soil resulting in the mulch formation. The process of mulching lowers the water requirement of the plant by reducing the evaporation rate. Mulching also aids in controlling the weeds.

A kiwi crop needs a regular water supply mainly during the drought and hot conditions. The commercial farming of kiwi requires irrigation in around 10-14 days’ interval is preferred for best yield. Providing the water as per the need of the plant is one of the best ways to get the maximum production. 

Harvesting and Yielding of Kiwi Fruit

The plant starts producing fruit after 4-5 years. The initial yield is small but it increases gradually as the plant attains maturity. The ripening season of kiwi fruit is September and October. If there is presence of frost, the plant needs to be harvested before the fruit ripens. The ripening process can be done in refrigeration. Once the skin of the kiwi fruit starts to turn brown in colour, it can be snapped from the stalk. The other method to check whether fruit is ready for harvesting is to observe black seeds in the sample kiwi fruit.

Due to the difference in temperature, the fruit matures later at high altitudes and early at lower altitudes. After the harvesting is done, the stiff hairs present on the surface of the fruit are removed by rubbing the fruit against coarse cloth.  The fruits that are hard are sent to the market and within two weeks they become edible.

The yield of the crop relies on various attributes such as method of irrigation, soil type, tree age, variety, and climatic conditions. On an average, approximately 100 kgs of fruit can be collected per harvesting season.

Storage of Kiwi Fruit

The harvested fruits can be stored in the cool place for approximately two months. This storage doesn’t require refrigeration.

Vegetable Farming

Cabbage Farming Guide

Author ByMaryem

Cabbage also is known as Brassica oleracea var. capitata is a popular temperate and small green-leafy or purple vegetable. The leafy vegetable is also called a biennial plant or as a rabi crop but in certain areas, it is grown as a Kharif crop too.

Cabbages are rich in vitamins C and A and are also filled with minerals such as sodium, calcium, phosphorus, iron, and potassium. Cabbage can be consumed in cooked or raw form depending on the individual. The external appearance of the crop displays a compact mass of smooth leaves wrapped around each other and the structure is referred to as the head of the vegetable.

The leaves on the exterior are large in size than the inner ones. The stem of the plant is stout and short and the flowers of the plant appear in the winter season. Thus, cabbage is a cool-weather crop.

Before initiating cabbage farming, it is essential to understand the basics of cabbage cultivation and the environment necessary for the entire process. Starting to grow cabbage in the late or mid-summer so that it can be harvested in the winter, early spring, or in the autumn season.

The seeds of the crop should be planted indoors approximately 4-6 weeks before the last spring frost and the crop should be ¼ inch deep during the sowing process. The transplants of the crop can be transferred to the outdoor garden once they are around 7-10 cm (3-4 inches) tall and the seedlings are hardened.

The sowing process of the plant can be started as soon as the soil is easy to work on in the spring season. The regions with mild winters can start the seeding process during the late summer so that the crop can be harvested in spring or winter.

Also Read: Are You Embarrassed By Your Onion Farming Skills?

Perfect Environment to Grow Cabbage

How long does cabbage take to grow

Weather and soil are the dominating factors in the proper outcomes of the cabbage. Cabbages are regarded as adaptive in nature when it comes to soils as well as climate. Cabbage quickly depletes the nutrients present in the soil and thus the plant is considered as the heavy feeder.

Organic constituent rich and well-drained soil is ideal for growing cabbage. Heavy to sandy soils rich in nutrients is preferred for cabbage cultivation. The planting bed/soil should be prepared well in advance by combining the aged manure or compost. The well-drained soil aids in inhibiting the rotting of the head that stands in the water.

Light soil is used for early crops whereas late crops require heavy soils to store moisture. Growing the plant on the heavy soil helps in growing the plant slowly thus maintaining the quality. The soil used for cabbage farming should have a pH level in the range of 5.5-6.5. The pH of the soil shouldn’t cross 6.5 and it shouldn’t fall below 4.5 as it can damage the petals of the cabbage plant.

The cabbage plant is prone to various diseases when grown in saline soils. Thus, it is crucial to determine the pH to get the best results in the cabbage planting. Furthermore, crop rotation is practiced to avoid soil-borne diseases and infections to the plant.

The cabbage plant in the Indian subcontinent is grown in moist and cool climatic conditions. The optimum temperature ranges from 15°-21°C for the perfect growth of the head of the cabbage. The flowering intensity of the plant is influenced by the duration of its exposure to low temperatures and the age of the plant.

Popular Varieties of Cabbage

There are different types of cabbages with varied sizes, colours, and shapes. The varieties in green cabbages are Golden Acre, Round-Up, Blue Boy, Green Boy, Badger Ban Head, Market Prize, Blue Ribbon, Flat Dutch, Jersey Wakefield, and Stonehead. Red cabbage varieties are Ruby Perfection, Red ball, Red Acre, and Red Ribbon. Savoy cabbage varieties available are Savoy King and Savoy Ace.

The other varieties available are PusaMukta, Hariana, Bajrang, September Early, Pusa Drum Head, Pride of India, K-1, Pusa Synthetic, Late Large Drum Head, ShriganeshGol, Copenhagen Market, Early Drum Head, Kaveri, and Midseason Market.

Stages of Cabbage Growth

The complete growth of cabbage is divided into 9 stages – Cotyledon (first leaf), Seedling, 6-8 true leaf, 9-12 true leaf, Precupping, Cupping, Early head formation, Head fill, and Mature stage. The seedling goes through these stages to turn into a mature plant.

Cabbage Watering Requirement

Watering the cabbage plant too is an important ingredient necessary in the developmental stage of the plant. The cabbage plant need a continuous moisture supply. Drip system can be installed for better water retaining. Plant bolting occurs in the dry environment and thus prevents from drying. A cabbage plant requires 11/2-inch rain/week and if the environmental condition is not favourable, external watering should be done to keep the plant hydrated.

Around 10 litre water is required for meter square of the land and thus hose and jugs are used. It is essential to be careful while watering the root levels and upper levels. Roots help in retaining the soil moisture and upper levels aids in keeping diseases and pests at bay.

The leaves that have turned yellow should be removed as they can cause a further infestation in the plants. Mushy soil is not a suitable environment for cabbage like other vegetables. If for any unknown reason the soil is dry, the soil has to be dug 3 inches down and then water it. If the moisture level transfers from the upper layer, the plant can be harvested in better shape.

Spacing and Planting Cabbage

Cabbage farming is easy but to understand the correct planting procedure helps in good yield. The distance of planting relies on soil conditions, variety, and planting season. The seedlings are planted in 4-5 levels. The seedlings of cabbage are sowed 0.5-inch-deep and spaced 2.5 cm (1 inch) apart.

Thin plants on the other hand are 45-61 cm (18-24 inches) apart from each other. When there are 4-5 true leaves and are 4-6 weeks old, cabbage can be transplanted to the garden. Cooked stem plants should be planted deep. Seedlings are spaced 45-61 cm (18-24 inches) away from each other and are placed in rows which are apart at 61-91 cm (24-36 inches).

The plants can also be placed near to each other but the size of the mature heads would be smaller. Based on the maturity levels, the following distances are recommended:

Early maturity: 60×30 cm or 45×45 cm

Mid-level maturity: 60×45 cm

Late maturity: 60×60 cm or 75x60cm

A garden fabric set or black plastic can be used to plant cabbage in the early spring season. An x is cut in the fabric or plastic to set the cabbage transplant. Cabbage crop can be planted in succession with the time interval of every 2 weeks so the plant can be harvested at varied times of the season.

Planting Method

Morning or late evening is preferred time for transplanting process. The roots of the seedlings are dipped in Bavistin solution (2 gram/litre of solution) before transplantation. After the process of transplantation, irrigation is immediately carried out. Some countries irrigate the beds first and then the seedlings are transplanted to the bed.

Irrigation Mechanism

The cabbage is a versatile vegetable yet at the same time, it can’t suffer drying out. In the colder time of year season the interim irrigation methodology is used which takes 8-10 days. In any case, in the dry season the method must be constant.

A restricted water quantity ought to be present in furrows in order to re-hydrate the crops during dry climatic conditions. During the rainy season, a remarkable drainage technique needs to be made to deal with the situation. Areas with less rainfall should implement drizzle irrigation to cope up with the water scarcity in the plantation method.

Fertilizers and Manures

The dose of fertilizer depends on the quantity of organic manure used in the crop and the soil fertility. Approximately 4 weeks before transplanting, 15-20 tonnes of FYM is integrated into the soil for better yield. In general, for optimum yield 60-100 kg P2O5, 60-120 kg K2O, and 80-120 kg N is recommended. At the time of transplantation, entire quantity of K and P is given and half dose of N is applied. The remaining N is applied after 6 weeks from transplantation.

Apart from these fertilizers, decomposed cow dung 40 tonnes/ acre, Muriate of Potash 40kg/acre, Single Superphosphate 155kg/acre, and Urea 110kg/acre is applied. Also, look for magnesium or boron deficiency in the plant and accordingly perform soil testing.

Companions of Cabbage

Cabbage can be grown together with onions, fragrant herbs, beet roots, potatoes, sage, thyme, cucumber, dill, spinach, kale, artichoke, lettuce, and celery provide additional benefits to the cabbage plant. Try to avoid growing tomatoes, pole beans, cauliflower,and strawberries as they require the same nutrients and thus can’t be grown together.

Harvesting and Yielding

when do you harvest cabbage / cabbage harvest time?

It takes 90-120 days for the plant to get harvested. The ideal time for harvesting the cabbage is when the head portion is mature and hard and stable. The delay in harvest even for few days after it is matured can cause incidences of disease and split heads of the plant.

The harvesting of heads that are immature results in reduced yield as the heads are not yet mature and are easily prone to damage due to the delicate nature. The life of immature heads is shorter than the mature heads.

The harvesting of head is done by tilting the head on one side and then gradually cutting it with a sharp knife. The stalk of the plant has to be cut in flat form and incision should be done close to the head but stalk has to be long to preserve 2-4 wrapper leaves. The wrapper leaves or extra leaves behave as cushions that helps in protecting cabbages while handling. Certain markets desire the extra leaves for consumption or decoration purposes.

The head of the plant has to be handled carefully and should not be twisted or snapped while removing as it can cause head damage and the length of the stalk becomes inconsistent. The breakage in the stalks causes faster decay.

Depending on the maturity of the heads, the harvest is carried out as different heads require different time for maturity and thus differs in harvest time. Before packing, the harvested produce should be stored in shade conditions. The sorting and grading process is followed after harvesting and it depends on the head size.

The yielding process depends on various factors such as cultivation season, variety, and maturity group. The early varieties have an average yield of 25-30 t/ha and the late level varieties yield is 40-60 t/ha.

Common Diseases and Pests

The growth of the plant attracts various types of pests and diseases. These pests and diseases impact the plant externally as well as internally. The entire system of the plant from roots to leaf is damaged by the catastrophic elements. For instance, it can damage the essence, weight, growth rate, color, and many other things.

The pests infecting the crops are Cutworms, American Bollworms, Flea Beetles, Aphids, Cabbage worms, Nematodes, Cabbage rot maggots, Bagrada Bug, Diamond Back Moth (DBM), and Cabbage loopers.

The diseases that infect the produce are Wire Stem, White Blister, Downy Mildew, Club-root, Target spot/Leaf spot/ Ringspot, White Mould, Blackleg (Dry Rot Canker), Powdery Mildew, White leaf spot, and Dumping off. Most of the diseases are caused by Botrytis and Sclerotinia.

To control these diseases and pests, chemicals like insecticidal soaps, Spinosad, Carbaryl, Permethrin, and Neem oil extracts is used. However, not all the pests and diseases can be controlled and thus a proper consultation with agricultural institute might provide solutions.

Preserving and Storing Cabbage

Cabbage can stay for 1-2 weeks or may be longer in a refrigerator. The seeds of cabbage can be sprouted. Cabbage can also be dried and frozen. It can also be cured in brine to make processed cabbage known as Sauerkraut.

Conclusion

Cabbage farming can yield profits if best practices are implemented at every stage of the process and proper hydration is provided to the plant.

Gardening

12 Best Perennial Flowers for Your Garden

Author ByMaryem

What does perennial mean?

In short, these are plants which blooms in spring and summer season but not in winter or autumn season. They bloom back on its own after winter season and can live two years or even longer.

The perennial flowers are of various colours and sizes. Short but beautiful in appearance. The name itself tells that through the years which means they bloom back every year; these plants are of low maintenance once they are planted. People who wish for long lasting beauties for their garden or back yard can choose this type of plants.

Perennial plants are of two different types. Where some of them are short lived that means they only bloom for few years before they die completely. While some of them only bloom for one day each year such as Daylily.

Perennial flowers come with different shapes and sizes also in different colours. The garden with perennial flowers is feast to eyes. Perennials maintain soil cover and have deeper root systems thus provides soil stability and soil health.This means that they can tap available nutrients, enhance biodiversity making more water available to plants. So, if you do not water them regularly also, they can grow well.

These plants are deep rooting and are habituated to slow growth that means they can survive with less fertilizers and less water. Growing perennial plants and maintaining them doesn’t require much efforts. As we know these can grow two years or even longer, so you don’t need to worry about planting or re-potting each time. They bloom back on their own with the propagation of soil when planted.

12 Best Perennial flowers that You Can Grow in your Garden

If well maintained, these flowering plants can be your best houseplants indoors.

#1 Hostas

These are low maintenance plants which bring tropical look to garden with variety of green shades containing white or purple flowers that blooms in summer or fall. The leaves of these plants are lighter so that it needs more sun to thrive and can live for years if maintained properly. Also, prefers partial shade.

#2 Shasta Daisy

These are short-lived plants and grows in clumps looks like chrysanthemum but are of smaller size. These are of white colour with yellow spots in middle. These flowers can also be used for flower vases to light up surroundings in living room. They will regrow within no time; prefers full sun and blooms from late spring to fall.

#3 False Indigo

They bloom after one year of planting flowers will pop-up. The flowers are in shades of blue, purple, and green. The best benefit with these plants is they are disease and pest free, meaning that nothing can stop them from growing. They can grow up to a person’s height and fills like shrub with over years. They prefer full sun and blooms late spring to early summer.

#4 Daylily

These are popular among all the perennial flowers that are known also called as perfect perennial. This daylily’s can survive through anything like fluctuating temperatures, irregular watering as such. They come in various colours and sizes; you can choose the best option that suit your surroundings. As we know they only bloom for one day. Prefers full sun and blooms in early summer.

#5 Phlox

They look pleasing in nature but are slow growing. In summer, tall phlox are visible anywhere from three to five feet height, they pop up creating a beautiful backdrop in your garden, no matter what height they are all of these are star shaped and emit strong fragrance. They prefer full sun but can tolerate shade and blooms spring to summer.

#6 Lupines

These are frequently spotted in wild these can be growing these flowers in your garden too. They grow up to five feet tall in entire lifetime with red in colour and comes in various colours like white, yellow, pink, and purple resembling pea flowers. They need partial or full sun and blooms from spring to summer.

#7 Summer lilacs

These are also known as butterfly bush as the name itself tells that they attract tons of butterflies throughout they bloom. Flowers often come in white and dark purple but lavender pink flowers are pleasing in nature. They require annual pruning; prefers full sun and blooms from summer to fall.

#8 Hydrangeas

 These are one of my favourites among all the perennial flowers that are available. The larger the life flowers heads bend emitting elegance and charm with the touches of pink, lavender, pink, and whites. To have a long-life plant them in spring after frost or in fall before the frost. They prefer partial sun and blooms from summer to fall.

#9 Sedum

These are also known as stonecrop with star shaped clustered flowers which attracts pollinators. These are of two types low growing sedum or upright sedum you can choose the best depending on your garden size. No matter what variety you choose they bloom same flowers with succulent leaves having coloured with pink, red, or yellow flowers. They prefer full sun and blooms from summer to fall.

#10 Asters

These are also known as Astereae with star shaped flowers which look like daisies, but these are entirely different type of perennial flowers. This plan can grow anywhere of height from eight inches to eight feet and blooms in late summer. They also attract bees and butterflies for late summer pollen supply. These plants prefer full sun and blooms from late summer to fall.

#11 Allium

These are purple pompom flowers are part of onion family; flowers looking like the shape of onion. Once they are planted should left untouched for years especially deer and pests to avoid them. They have skinny stems can rise to 30 inches height, makes them stand out against ground covers. They prefer full sun and blooms from fall to summer.

#12 Lavender

Bring the sights and smells of this plant from Mediterranean to your garden by growing these plants which has fantastic aroma. This plant requires extremely high temperatures and can grow well in such regions with little rain. They prefer full sun and bloom from late spring to early summer.

All the above given are some of the best perennial plants which can be perfectly grown in your very own garden. Not only this there are so many perennial flowers that can be grown. They add colour to your garden and smells divine.

There are so many perennial flowers that are available in nature. Choose the best plant among the wide range of varieties which you feel that suits best to your garden. Happy planting!

Vegetable Farming

Garlic Farming – Planting, Care, Harvesting-A Complete Guide

Author ByMaryem

Garlic is an essential bulb crop grown. Its scientific name is Allium sativum. It is used as a spice too. Compared to the other bulb crops, garlic has a high nutritive value. Garlic can be  transformed into different forms like chilled garlic, dehydrated garlic flakes, dehydrated garlic powder, garlic oils etc.

They grow perfectly well 1200-2000m above sea level. These bulb crops are consumed by people as a spice. However, garlic originated in southern europe but it is being consumed all over the world these days. Garlic farming can be carried out in too hot or too cold weather conditions. Maintaining optimum temperature is necessary to get a healthy crop.

It is a low maintenance cash crop. You can gain amazing profits by planting and selling garlic. 

The U.S is the number one importer of garlic in the whole world.

Growing Garlic at Home

Soil requirements for garlic

Firstly discussing the soil, well-drained loamy soil that is rich in humus will be most suitable for garlic cultivation. The soil should also have sufficient potash. Sandy soil or loose stool is not much preferred as it can degrade the quality of the garlic and the difference in weight of the garlic bulbs could also be seen.

 In addition when heavy soil is used for garlic production, then during the harvesting period the bulbs break and become badly discolored. pH range of 5-7 pH is suitable for proper growth and yield.

Climate:

Garlic can be grown in a wide range of climatic conditions however  the extreme conditions are intolerable. A moderate temperature whether hot or cold is suitable for garlic Farming.

Bulb formation will be affected in extremely hot conditions.  Garlic needs some cool and moist conditions for growth. Bulb formation occurs when the weather’s hot  and days are long. 25-30°C is the most suitable temperature for bulb formation.

Diffrent Varieties of Garlic:

Some varieties of garlic like agrifound Parvati, agrifound Parvati 2, agrifound white, yamuna safed, yamuna safed 2, yamuna safed 3, GG-4,  Ooty 1 etc. are very productive and disease resistant. Some other varieties are G-41, bhima omkar , bhilma purple, pant lohit etc.

There are basically two main varieties of garlic that are hardneck and softneck.

1. Hardneck:

This variety of garlic is very cold and should not be grown in winters. In this flower stems are produced that have to be cut off  so that the bulbs can reach their maximum potential. However these flowers or scapes are edible mainly in summers in salads or by adding in fries.

This variety has one ring of the clove around it unlike the other variety. This variety cannot be stored for a very long time as other varieties. It’s taste is also lighter than softneck garlic. For example Korean red ,duganski, Siberian, music, chesnok red, German red, and Spanish Rosa. etc. 

2. Softneck:

Similar to it’s name, this variety remains soft after harvesting. This variety is usually a warm climate variety. Softneck garlics have a strong and intense flavor. This variety has bigger bulbs. For example silverskin, inchelium red, California Early and California late.

Next comes the great headed and the wit and wisdom 

  • Great headed: 

This garlic doesn’t taste much like garlic. It tastes more like the onion than the basic garlic. Bus and cloves are large in size. 

  • Wit and wisdom:

This variety of garlic has healing properties.

Propagation: 

Propagation for garlic crop is carried out by planting cloves or aerial bulbils. Most of the time aerial bulbils are preferred over cloves as they are very productive.

Garlic planting: 

For planting garlic, the land has to be thoroughly prepared by ploughing repeatedly. After that 10-20 tonnes of well-decomposed FYM should be added per hectare.

Garlic sowing can be done by three following methods : 

1. Dibbling

2. Furrow planting 

3. Broadcasting

When the garlic is planted at small gaps, then the size of the individual garlic decreases however the overall yield increases. Organic manure is also very helpful in good crop production. Hence 20 tonnes of well-decomposed FYM per hectare during field preparation.

Nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium can also be added in the field. Nitrogen has to be given in two doses. The first dose has to be given during plantation and the other one after 30 days of plantation. 10 kg of Borax has to be added per hectare for improved yield and enlarged bulb size. 

Climatic conditions for garlic cultivation: 

A combination of different climatic conditions is necessary for cultivation of garlic crops. It’s basic need is a cool and moist climate for development of bulbs and proper vegetative growth.

However, a warm climate is much suitable for maturation. But garlic cannot tolerate extreme weather conditions. Exposing the crop to low temperature for a long time can decrease the yield of the crop.

Irrigation:

Garlic crops need to be moist because of the special root development. Firstly the field has to be irrigated lightly before plantation. In garlic farming, different types of irrigation systems are used for example drip irrigation, sprinkler irrigation system and the furrow method.

A few years back it was reported that drip irrigation method has a significant effect on crop productivity. In the drip irrigation system the pipelines are laid throughout the field and crops are irrigated drop by drop. In this the wastage of water is very very less. Even evaporation is also less in this system as compared to the sprinkler system.

Although it also has some disadvantages like the watering tapes has to be replaced within 1-3 years. The droppers may also get contaminated.

Sprinkler system: in this method the water is sprinkled all over the field like rain. However this method has some disadvantages too. This method is quite expensive. In this method a lot of water is wasted and a lot of energy is also required to create the water pressure. It may have a negative impact on the cover sheet for example this may cause any disease. 

Inside dirt: It is also called an underground drip irrigation system. In this the system for irrigation purposes need not be changed for years. This system doesn’t obstruct the tillage. It doesn’t require yearly expansion. In this system the water is delivered directly to the roots.

Disadvantages of inside dirt drip irrigation system: It’s difficult to diagnose  the malfunctioning as to check one part the whole system has to be checked which is a quite difficult job. It also needs high maintenance. A care system  also has to be arranged so that the roots don’t grow inside the tubes or pipes. This system has a higher initial cost as compared to a simple drip irrigation system.

These are the few methods of irrigation. In the initial stages, irrigation has to be done every 3rd day. But afterward, the crop can be irrigated once in 15 days. These intervals go on increasing as the crop reaches its maturity stages. When the crop is ready to harvest, the irrigation needs to be stopped.

As we know that garlic being small in size is planted very close to each other so manual weeding could be a very difficult job and expensive too. And not doing this can cause a lot of damage to the crop.

So the only option left to treat weeds is a chemical method, herbicides or weedicides have to be used to vanish off the weeds. Some examples of these weeds are linuron, pendimethalin, and tribunil, etc. 

When is Garlic Ready to Harvest:

After 130-150 days of plantation the garlic crop is ready to harvest  but it also depends on the soil type, climate conditions etc. When the upper part of the crops becomes yellow and starts drying and bending. It should not be harvested too early as it results in poor quality of garlic.

Hence before digging up the whole crop, one should take out the same samples to check out the quality of the crop and also whether it’s ready for harvesting or not.

So slightly pull up one or two bulbs but one must keep in mind that digging should not be started until the top is completely Yellow. When the garlic head is divided into plump cloves and when the bulbs have thick, dry and papery covering the garlic is ready to harvest.

Timing is also very important in this process as if the harvesting is done early, the covering of the bulb would be thin and may Get damaged. And on the other hand, if harvesting is done late, the garlic along with it’s skin can split up and may become prone to diseases.

Harvesting has to be done very carefully as directly pulling the garlic out can also damage it hence it has to be first dug up very carefully and then carefully brush the garlic to remove the soil. Then hang them upside down for good air circulation.

Diseases:

Garlic is prone to some diseases like basal rot( Fusarium culmorum ), white rot ( sclerotium cepivorum) Downy mildew (Peronospora destructor), Botrytis Rot (Botrytis porri), and Penicillium Decay (Penicillium hirsutum).

Control: use disease free seeds, avoid overcrowding, one should dispose of the infected part properly, also make use of appropriate fungicides, using well drained soil can also prevent these diseases. Regular weeding should be carried out.

Seeds should be treated with warm water before sowing to avoid infections. Virus-free cloves should be planted. Soil beds should be prepared properly. These are some methods to control these diseases.

How to store garlic: 

Mainly garlic has to be stored in a well ventilated room. As the garlics have to be hung from the leaves so a proper support should be there in room for hanging the garlics. Cured Garlics can be stored for maximum 8 months at normal temperature.

However, before storing the garlic it should be properly cleaned and trimmed. The outer papery layer has not to be removed but the dirtiest wrappers can be separated. This garlic has to be stored in cool, dry, and dark places.

The temperature for storage should be 4°C or 40°F . In this way these can be stored for several months. It should not be stored in a moist place or refrigerator. The flavor of the bulbs enhance as it dries up.

If the crop is stored properly, it can last throughout the season. If you have to cultivate the crop next year again, then save some of the largest pieces to plant them again. 

Plant protection: 

Thrips can cause dropping of leaves and degrade the quality of garlic and even the storage quality too. A chemical named methyl  demeton 25EC 1 ml per litre can check on thrips. 

How profitable is garlic farming: 

One can get an average yield of 32-48 quintals per acre of land.

If one has to grow garlic on a commercial scale then this article may help you to know more about this. Firstly one has to get the good quality seeds according to the demand and quality. For cultivation of garlic land has to be prepared, ploughing has to be done where again some investment would be required for machinery for land preparation.

Plantation is the next step that can be done by different methods like dibbling, furrow planting, or broadcasting and each method has different costs. Then some Intercultural operations have to be carried out like weeding and earthing up etc where again some money has to be applied.

Hereby we can say that at  each step some investment is required like every other crop and it’s worth it as one earn a very good profit from this crop

Conclusion: 

Garlic is mainly used as a food or spice . It can also be used as a medicinal herb or oil. It has a unique taste and its own different aroma. It adds a very different flavor to food and makes it more delicious as demanding.

Beside food it is helpful in many of the medical conditions and provides great refeif. According to some preclinical studies, garlic is said to have some compounds that are helpful in cancer and cardiovascular diseases.  Garlic has some outstanding roles in human health as well as medicines and is also a very profitable crop.

Fruit Farming

Papaya Farming – Ultimate Guide

Author ByMaryem

Do you want to start a Papaya farming business? Here we have listed a comprehensive business strategy roadmap for beginners with profit margin, expense, and papaya farming techniques. However, before we tell you anything about Papaya farming, let’s first get familiar with this plant and the cultivation techniques that you should use to get the maximum output.

About Papaya

Papaya (Carica papaya) could be an early-living and dying fruit tree. These fast-growing trees can bear fruit in the first year of planting, if possible. However, a multi-hour sub-freezing temperature will destroy an exposed plant. Papaya plants are so cold sensitive that they should be grown in warm areas. Throughout the year, warm areas will have papaya flowers and fruit on the plant.

How long does Papaya farm take to grow?

It may take eight to 10 months before the fruit is ready to be harvested after planting a small plant in the field. In the number of months that Papaya will develop and bear mature fruit, the environment has a role to play. In hot areas, harvesting from seed can take six to nine months, but zones that are more temperate need 9 to 11 months to be able to grow fruit from seed. When planted later in the year, the colder autumn and winter weather slows down growth and increases the time required by the plant to produce fruits for harvest.

Also Read: How to Nurture the Dragon Fruit –An Exotic Tropical Fruit

Papaya cultivation and harvesting

When the tree has bloomed, wait for five to eight months for the fruit to be harvested. This time depends on the temperature and the state of the fruit. Papaya trees bloom during the year. After the first year, the fruit and flowers on the tree should be supplied continuously.

The form of flowers on a tree decides whether, after many months, you can see fruit. If the tree has male flowers only, it won’t be fruitful. Trees that have only female flowers, or both, can bear fruit if adequately pollinated. Vigorous flora hangs from long stalks, while female vegetation has short stalks and a bulge at the ovary’s base.

Edible flowers like female flowers are available on short stalks and have the stems that are typical of male flowers.

How to know if your papaya plant has fully grown-up

As there are often fruits in various stages of tree development, it will help to recognize the ripe ones when to pick them. The fruit’s color is the primary measure of maturity. Choose fruits of one to three-fourths of the yellow rind.

The green fruit is not ripe and after harvest does not sweeten. Depending on your growing conditions, 30 to 150 fruit can be obtained each year from your papaya tree.

Papaya farming blueprint for business

You must conduct an economic analysis to validate the use of various production inputs and the revenues received. Fixed costs are primarily in initial land growth in papaya farming. Fixed prices may include fixed labor salaries and repair of farm machinery and other miscellaneous expenses.

The cost varies between manufacturing methods and input costs, including fertilizers and pesticides. It also includes payments for irrigation, intercultural, mining, transportation, and other management activities. Calculate the gross production expense. Calculate and record the anticipated profitability and ROI in your business plan.

The more uses, the better business prospect
  • Papaya is used in many ways. And, its several uses opens the opportunity to explore the business scope from the same. So, let’s know more about it.
  • Sometimes Papaya is taken in the breakfast or dessert fruit.
  • Papaya is also loved as a diet fruit.
  • The culled Papaya can be fed to the pigs and or other cattle.
  • Papaya is used as an ingredient in a variety of fruits across the world whereas unripe fruits and leaves are also used as a vegetable.
  • Papain, which is milky latex obtained from the Papaya after a process of the incision. And, then latex is dried and sold in the powder form.
  • The latex powder is then used in digestion aids, tooth-cleaning powders, and so on.

Papaya farming and health benefits

1. Papayas are high in starch, vitamin C, and antioxidants that avoid arterial cholesterol build-up.

2. Single Papaya will meet more than 200% of your daily vitamin C requirements, which makes it ideal for developing a more robust immune system.

3. Papayas have a low sugar content (8.3 gm. in a cup of Papaya) and glycemic index. This property produces excellent papaya fruits for diabetics.

4. Papayas are rich in vitamin A and flavonoids such as beta-carotene, zeaxanthin, cryptoxanthin, lutein that keep mucous membranes safe in the body.

5. Just 120 calories include one medium-sized Papaya. It also helps in the pursuit of weight loss.

6. Papaya is rich in many nutrients, such as vitamin C, which will keep you stress-free.

Papaya cultivation and agro-climatic condition

A tropical fruit, Papaya. Sub-tropical sections, however, also develop well. It’s frost-sensitive. The ideal temperature is 25-30 ° C and 16 ° C minimum. Appropriate pH is between 6 and 6.5. The foothills enjoying mild winters are suitable for papaya cultivation. Low temperature and frost restrict higher-altitude cultivation. Excessively cold nights cause slow fruit maturation and mediocre quality in the winter season.

papaya plant

Papaya cultivation and soil suitability

The right soil type is well-drained or sandy loam soil with enough organic matter. Sticky and calcareous soils aren’t pleasant because the soil can trap rainwater. It could be lethal to the crop. In this scenario, create a better-raised ground and drainage ditch. Furthermore, you must keep the field with enough soil moisture required to grow papaya plants.

Also, a ripening dry climate is fantastic for fruit quality. Additionally, in the same region, continuous cropping can result in reduced production. A slightly messy field is compared to a perfectly flat area. The region’s hilly soil is ideally suited to well-drained organic matter.

Steps involved in papaya farming

Now, it’s time to dive deeper into the steps involved in papaya farming. Therefore, those to better utilize your farming skills.

Propagation

You’ll need seed papaya propagation. Second, you must collect seeds. You can receive from ripe, big, healthy fruits, mainly from pest-free female plants. Often seeds fail to germinate because seed viability is lost in about 45 days.

Germination of seed

The equilibrium temperature is 21-27 ° C, and 19-29 ° C of extreme emergence. It takes 1-4 weeks after sowing, depending on the weather. Treat with Thiram (TMTD) W.P. Until, sowing young to combat fungal diseases.

Sowing the seed

In 8 – 9 cm long, 8 cm long, and 8 cm high or black soft plastic containers, you can use the clear plastic bag. The bags require drainage space. You may also use a plastic seedling tray. It is a new form of seedling for good seedlings.

Transplantation

When the seedlings are 15-20 cm tall, a razor blade will open the bag. Now the seedlings are set for evening transplantation in pits. You may plant three seedlings about 15 cm apart in each hole. Watering is vital after transplantation for rapid recovery from transplant shock.

Adding Manure

The plant requires continuous fertilization as fruiting begins at maturity. From day one, you will prepare for fertilization. Because a five-month transplant-to-first flowering cycle is essential for papaya plant nutrition. You will stop manuring 6 months before harvesting the crop.

Now it’s about cropping

Male papaya plants typically thrive and start flowering after three months of transplantation. When their presence is detected, you will delete most of them. Of successful female flowers, however, around one male tree is kept for every ten female trees. Papaya starts flowering about five to six months after transplantation.

Irrigation

Currently, irrigate every winter ten days or every summer week. However, it varies with soil, climate, and irrigation methods. You may use a loop, furrow, or drip irrigation. Be sure, however, to avoid water meeting the stem. Irrigation can avoid frost damage to plants.

Papaya cultivation and plant protection

You need proper disease management to get the optimum yield. The major diseases are powdery mildew (OidiumCaricae), anthracnose, and stem rot.

Another possible condition is a root-knot nematode (Meloidogyne incognita) frequently and gently extracts weeds at the early stage. Never deep soil tillage, however, because the plant has shallow roots. With 43% lasso E.C, you can apply herbicide once before an emergency.  

Harvesting

Overall, Papaya takes six months to bloom. And, five more for processing. However, it can vary with climatic conditions and management. For shipment to distant markets, fruits should be harvested when the apical starts to turn yellow, and latex is no longer milky.

In the cold months, fruits will stay on the tree to produce deeper colors and get a better flavor. In papaya cultivation, in the first 15 to 18 months, a tree with proper management produces 25-40 fruits weighing 40-60 kg.

Pest and disease control

The frequently found pests are fruit flies, aphids, red spider mite, stem borer, gray weevil, snail, and grasshoppers. They are all regulated by spraying prophylactic substances including 0.3% dimethoate and 0.05% methyl gemstone.

The growing diseases are powdery mildew, anthracnose, damping off, black spot, nematode, and stem rot. Essential control measures are growing disease-resistant crops, choosing well-drained soils, practicing crop rotation, and growing seedlings or plants under net households.

Intercropping with a barrier crop such as corn mulching the bed with silver and plastic film that immediately destroys infected plants and replants the crop to avoid this virus infection.

Yield from papaya farming

All cultivar yields are different. Suitable plants are estimated to produce 34 kg fruit per plant per year, which amounts to around 38,000 kg fruit per hectare. The total area under Indian papaya farming has increased in recent years. Papaya’s nutritional and medicinal value has resulted in heavy consumption within the country, i.e., only 0.08 percent is exported. Thanks to conventional agricultural methods, exports are also less competitive. Delhi and Mumbai are Papaya’s main markets. The country’s overall production accounts for 54-lakh tones/year.

What is the cost of papaya farming?

Papaya farming costs will rely primarily on the farmland location. The cost components are farmland acquisition, planting expenses, irrigation expenses, fertilization facilities like labor shed, and land growth. Other than farmland costs, papaya farming costs aren’t much.

How much profit can you mine?

The margin of profit in papaya farming depends on the land area and the diversity of Papaya growth. In general, papaya farmers get their entire investment payback in around 2-2, 5 years. However, in the end, we would say that the amount of profit entirely depends upon your practices and techniques you use for farming.

Fruit Farming

Guava Farming – Planting, Spacing, & Cultivation Guide

Author ByMaryem

Guava fruit is well known for its good flavor and aroma. Its scientific name is Psidium guajava. Guava is also called the ‘apple of the tropics’. Guava is rich in vitamin c and minerals. It is also rich in antioxidants. Guava has many health benefits. Guava is mainly cultivated in tropical and subtropical regions.

Guava Farming is a very profitable business. Guava helps in curing many diseases. Guava is also helpful in losing weight. In 2019 the production of guava all over the world was 55 million tonnes. Guava trees start fruiting after 3-4 years of plantation. Guava is mainly grown from seeds or by vegetative propagation. Guava trees are very productive and adaptable.

Guava Farming: 

  • Description of the guava plant:

Guava tree has smooth, thin, and brown bark that peels off and reveals a greenish layer below it. The maximum height that a guava tree can reach is 33ft or 10m with a trunk of 10 in (25cm).

The leaves of this tree are evergreen. These leaves are oval and long, having a short petiole. These leaves are leathery in texture and when guava leaves are crushed, they have a nice aroma. The white flowers grow independently in the leaf axils. These flowers have 4 to 5 petals. 

  • Description of guava fruit:

The skin color of the fruit ranges from light yellow to pale green or sometimes pink. When you peel off the skin of guava, a layer of sweet flavor full and tangy flesh is present. The color of flesh can be white, yellowish, light pink, dark pink, red.

When the fruit is immature, it is very hard and astringent. When guava ripens, some of its varieties have custard-like consistency however the others are crispy. Mainly the central pulp is of the same color even if the surrounding flesh is lighter or darker. It is very juicy and has hard yellow seeds in it. 

  • Different types of guava fruit:

Guava fruit has many different varieties. Some of these common varieties are given below:

  1. Ruby supreme: This variety of guava is oval. It has a medium to large size. It has a pungent smell. Its flesh is thick and sweet. Comparatively fewer seeds are present in this variety. Ruby supreme guavas are excellent to eat fresh. This variety has good productivity.
  2. Red Indian: red Indian guavas are round in shape and have medium to large size. This variety has a strong odor. It has a sweet flavor and its flesh is red. It also has good productivity. 
  3. Beaumont: The fruit of this variety is large. Its color is either green or light yellow and has pink flesh. Beaumont guava fruit can weigh up to a pound. 
  4. Red Malaysian: This variety has very unique foliage and flowers that are deep red. These flowers are also used for decoration. This variety is frequently grown for ornamental uses. 
  5. Mexican cream: It is our next variety of guava fruit. These guavas have yellow skin and cream-colored flesh that is a bit spicy. It is mainly medium-sized. 
  6. Safeda: In this variety, the skin of the fruit is very thin however the flesh is thick and white. Fewer seeds are present in this variety. This is a very famous variety and grown widely. However, branches of safeda are brittle and can break continuously. 
  7. Bangkok apple: These fruits are large-sized and have thick flesh. It has fine color and taste.
  8. Lucknow: It is medium-sized fruit and round shaped. It has creamy white soft flesh with a sweet and pleasant flavor. It is a good quality fruit and has fewer seeds.

Propagation of the guava plant: 

Propagation of guava depends on the variety of fruit, the fertility of the soil, and the available irrigation provisions.

At what distance the trees should be planted?

A distance of 5to 8 m should be maintained between the trees. Standing spacing between them should be 6 × 6 m where 112 trees could be planted in one acre. High-density planting can lead the branches to grow towards the sky. This results in long compact trees that give a high yield in the initial years. 

Usually, seed propagation for guavas is not much preferred as the juvenile phase of seeds is very long. Seed propagation gives lower yields and poor quality of fruit.

However, if seeds have to be used for propagation, then these seeds should be sown immediately after it’s extraction from the ripened fruit. Soaking these seeds in water for 12 hours a day or soaking them in hydrochloric acid for 3 minutes gives 90% of germination. After one year the seeding is ready for budding.

Inarching is another way for the propagation of guava but this method gives a limited number of plants from the mother plant. Though budding is a very successful method of propagation it needs a large amount of labor. Another successful method is layering but again the condition is that a limited number of plants can be produced from a mother plant. 

The easiest and pocket-friendly vegetative method for the propagation of guava is marcotting. In this method, the parts of the hardened shoots of a selected variety are dragged. After this step, a mixture of moist earth, compost, rooting hormones is gathered at the spot. If this method is successful, roots will appear in 3 weeks. Seedbeds are also a good method for vegetative propagation of guava 

Must Read: How Long Does it take a Kiwi Plant to Produce Fruit

Fertilization of guava trees:

Different fertilizers are used in different regions. Fertilizers have to be provided regularly to produce high-quality flowers and fruit. Regular fertilization also helps the plant to grow faster. Nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and magnesium in the ratio of 6:6:6:2 are applied to the guava tree. 

Pruning of guava plants: 

Pruning of the plants is very important at younger stages as this helps to build a strong framework and avoid week crotches. Pruning if fruiting trees is important to prevent overcrowding. The plants are aimed as low headed trees as this makes the hand picking of fruits easy. Pruning is also helpful in increasing the size of the fruit and yield as well. 

Pest and diseases: 

Pest control is very important for good productivity and disease-free plants. Mainly fruit flies, stem borers, nematodes, thrips, mealy bugs, scale insects, and some more are the pests found in the guava field. These pests can be controlled by chemical spraying or using pesticides. 

Some other cultural practices can also be adopted to avoid fruit from getting destroyed. For example, removing the infected fruit or plant part so that it doesn’t infect the whole plant.

Diseases:

Some of the diseases of Guava plants are fruit canker, will, fruit rot, anthracnose, grey leaf spot, or more. More details about the diseases are given below:

Guava wilt:

The symptoms of this disease are: in the early monsoon, light yellow foliage starts appearing and loss of turgidity and epinasty can also be noticed. Later on, plants can show unthriftiness along with this, premature shedding and defoliation can also be seen.

Some of the small branches can become bare and may stop producing new leaves and flowers and eventually dry up. Fruits on all these affected branches are left underdeveloped, hard, and Stony. And finally, the plant dies at the end. In this disease, the roots also get rotted from the basal region. The bark also gets weak and can be easily removed. Discoloration can also be noted. 

How is it spread? This can be spread from the sick soil in Virgin areas. It can also be spread from water. Any root injury also promotes wilt diseases.

Fruit rot:

Symptoms of this disease can be mainly seen in the rainy season. White cotton-like growth can be noticed on the affected part that develops very fast. This pathogen can cover the entire surface within 3 to 4 days. When the humidity is very high, at that time the fruits that are near the soil get affected very easily. Below the white covering, the skin of the fruit becomes very slushy and its color becomes light brown to dark. 

How does it spread? This disease is mainly spread through wind or rain. It is also spread through pathogens. It can be also spread from the infected plant material like soil etc.

Fruit canker:

The symptoms of fruit canker can be seen mainly on the green fruit and rarely on the leaves. At first, brown-colored or rust like unbroken circular and harmful patches can be seen on the fruit that leads to infection. The crater-like thing can also be noticed. In some severe cases, a large number of cankerous stops can also be seen. The infected fruit doesn’t develop completely and is very hard. Sometimes tiny rusty spots can also be noticed on the leaves. 

How do fruit cankers spread? This disease is mainly spread through Pathogens. Anyone infected or injured by fruit or plant part can also be responsible for this. 

Also Read: How to Nurture the Dragon Fruit –An Exotic Tropical Fruit

Alga leaf and fruit spot: 

In this, the algae infect the Immature fruit and in this small brown velvety lesions can be seen on the leaves or leaf tip. The spots on the leaves may vary in size, there may be small tiny spots or big patches. The color of the fruit can change to dark green, black, or brown. In this, the size of fruit enlarges 

How does this disease spread? This disease is an air-borne disease and hence air and rain can be the carrier of the disease. Pathogens are another carrier of this disease. 

Stylar end rot:

The main symptom of this disease is a change in the color of the region lying just below and adjoining the persistent calyx. Such areas gradually increase in size and turn dark brown.

Afterward, the affected part becomes slushy. Despite these all symptoms of the discoloration of the pericarp, the mesocarp tissue also shows the change in color, and the diseased area is marked by being pulpy and light brown in color in contrast to the bright white. 

How does the disease spread? Again pathogens are responsible for this disease and these are spread through the wind. 

Irrigation if guavas: 

Usually, no irrigation is needed during the monsoon months unless and until there are long spells of drought. In the initial year when the plants are very young with a shallow root system, they should be irrigated even at 2 to 3 days interval in the dry season. Trees in the age group of 2-5 years should be irrigated at intervals of 4 to 5 days. 

How to harvest guavas? 

Fruiting starts after about 2 to 3 years of plantation. However, the yield of the fruit depends on the age of the trees, or how the trees are planted ( pattern ), and other cultural practices. The proper yield can be seen after 10 years. After 10 years 100 to 150 kg of yield can be seen every year. Guavas can be harvested at any time in the year. However if one wants the best taste, flavor, and aroma it can be obtained when the fruits are ripened. 

When these guavas are grown at a commercial level, the ripening can be noticed when the fruit starts turning yellow. If the fruits are to be transported to some faraway place, then they should be harvested when they are light yellow and yellow can be harvested for locals. 

Conclusion:

Guava farming is a profitable business but it needs a lot of hard work and time. 

With harvesting possible at any time of year, it can bring profits to you for a lifetime. All you need to do is beware of the necessities of guava plants and then you can get fruits whenever you wish.

Reference:

http://nhb.gov.in/pdf/fruits/guava/gua005.pdf

https://www.apnikheti.com/en/pn/agriculture/horticulture/fruit/guava

https://www-krishisandesh-com.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/www.krishisandesh.com/guava-cultivation-guide/?amp_js_v=a6&amp_gsa=1&amp&usqp=mq331AQHKAFQArABIA%3D%3D#aoh=16109678432103&referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com&amp_tf=From%20%251%24s

Farming Pedia

Growing Cucumber – How to Plant, Grow & Harvest?

Author ByMaryem

Cucumbers are worthy of each salad courtesy it’s health benefits. Cucumbers have a mild, refreshing flavor and a high amount of water. You will also feel dehydrate and enjoy eating them in hot weather. Generally, most of the diet conscious people use cucumber in their diets.

Moreover, it has a variety of applications in several beauty products due to its richness of vitamins and minerals.

Growing Fresh and Crunchy Cucumbers

Cucumbers farming

The fresh cucumbers have a special crunch with every bite. Cucumber farming would be a different experience.

Whatever the space you have, you can grow cucumbers. They can be cultivated in pots, bags or directly on the field successfully.

Also Read: Sweet Potato Farming Information Guide

Two main types of cucumber are outdoor and greenhouse. Plants of greenhouse cucumber make long, smooth fruit similar to those sold in the supermarket. 

On the other hand, others are called ridge cucumbers. It’s usually shorter and covered with red skin. 

Crunchy cucumbers, fresh from the garden are in a league of their own, so if you’re wondering whether to grow them or not, the answer should be a resounding yes.

Some of the cucumber varieties are more suitable for cucumber farming in the UK, either outdoors or in the greenhouse. 

Generally, the outdoor cucumbers also called ‘ridge cucumbers’ have resistance to the cooler climates and are often spiked or rough to the touch. Greenhouse cucumbers are a bit smoother fruits but do need that extra warmth to grow to the full capacity.

Some varieties prefer sheltered environments just like a greenhouse and others mature better out, in a sunny environment.

How to Sow Cucumbers

The mid-spring is the ideal time to sow the cucumber seeds into small pots with a general-purpose potting mix. Sowing depth of cucumber seeds is about an inch 3 cm deep.

Cucumbers germinate at least 20 degrees. This usually takes 7-10 days. Thus, you have to wait for a launch at the end of the spring.

 After germination, you should transfer seedlings to the place which has good sunlight and put them there until these are sufficiently large to transplant it. 

Once the seedlings start to appear, for better growth of a healthy plant remove the weakest from the pot and leave one per pot.

The liquid fertilizer is better for cucumber farming. Thus, a liquid fertilizer high in potassium is the initial diet plant within every two weeks that keep these hungry plants moist most of the time.

Must Read: How to harvest onions?

Growing Greenhouse Cucumbers

Greenhouse cucumbers can be transplanted into beds, large containers of potting soil. The other way to set the plant to grow is by setting two cucumbers per bag into bottomless pots set on top of the growing bag.

These will help to trap moisture and ensure cucumber plant care every time you water, instead of it running off over the surface.

Put in place supports such as bamboo canes, vertical wires, strong netting or trellis. Train vines up their supports then pinch out the growing tips when they reach the top to encourage side shoots. Take out the tips of side shoots to leave two leaves beyond each fruit.

Feed plants every two weeks with a liquid fertilizer that’s high in potassium and keeps these thirsty plants moist at all times.

You can exclude all male flowers from greenhouse cucumbers. This prevents bitter-tasting fruits. It’s effortless to identify female flowers by the slight swelling of the embryonic fruit behind each bloom.

Growing Outdoor Cucumbers

When the soil warms in late spring or early summer, outdoor cucumbers should be planted. For the perfect plantation, accustom the plant to a newer climate for a week or two preparations slowly for a week or two.

On the other hand, you could sow seeds directly to their actual rising places in warmer climates.

Cucumber farming considers the healthy, fertile soil just like other plants. Thus before planting, you can collect plenty of well-rotted organic matter such as manure. 

It is ideal to set the plants at about 18 inches apart when you raise your cucumbers upward using supports like a trellis. Alternatively, position them about three feet from each other if you let them scatter over the soil surface.

The outdoor cucumber needs insect pollination. Therefore, the plant needs the involvement of male and female flowers. Thus, you should not remove the male flowers.  There is no need to remove male flowers as greenhouse cucumbers. It is important to have this marriage for better and high yields.

Feeding to the cucumber

Cucumbers are typically grown at the same location as other vegetables in the case of a greenhouse. And, in this case, farmers usually use the same feed for all vegetables. 

In the case of the cucumbers are provided the more effective and balanced fertilizer. The yield is higher.

High nitrogen requirement in cucumber feed

A small cucumber plant has a larger leaf that is even greater than the leaves of other plants. 

As nitrogen is the fuel for flower growth. Cucumbers need more nitrogen than other major nutrients such as magnesium, calcium, iron, and manganese. 

 In the case of organic, the high liquid nitrogen feed would benefit cucumber farming to the full capacity.

Cucumber Plant Diseases

1. Powdery Mildew

The fungus emerges first as several white spots on the cucumber leaves and grows quickly as very small, threadlike powdery areas. It seems like a cotton-dumpling demon that absorbs plant nutrients, so if you don’t handle it, it can contribute to a serious infestation. The yield will be greatly affected, even if they mature.

When you just begin to see the mold on the leaves of the cucumber or if you had previous problems and want the chance of powdery mildew to be reduced, milk is an all-natural effective barrier to funguses. Dilute and spray the milk on the plants in the ratio of 10 parts water to 1 part milk.

Baking soda has solid household applications and can be applied to this list as “treating powdery mildew.” A 1 tablespoon soda solution in a gallon of water is adequate to be successful, but a soap or dish soap would need as an additive. Some growers often add oil, neem or standard cooking oil.

Sprinkle the mixture again early in the day, and then rinse in the evening. The persuasive mildew requires a very favorable pH to survive and baking soda is enough essential to render the leaves desolate. 

2. Bacterial Wilt

Bacterial wilt affects the fruits in cucumber farming more intensely. Infection is recognized with often witty and dried branches, often even overnight. 

One simple way to prevent bacterial wilt is by cutting off a wilted stem at the base and rubbing the cut with your fingertip.

 If you take off your finger gradually, the plants have bacterial wilting threads out of the cut. There is no remedy for this cucumber decay.

3. Fusarium wilt 

Fusarium wilt is another issue with the cucumber plant which is a difficulty to treat and overcome. In dry climates, the pathogen is much more widespread and can damage, in addition to cucumber, a wide variety of vegetables.

The dropping leaves is the beginning of this disease. This can be identified by the slicing the main trunk of an infected fusarium wilt vine. If it’s the base is spotted with dark stripes. The fungicidal soil drenches the remedy of this infection while treating the soils before plantation can prevent the unfortunate loss. 

4. Cucumber Mosaic

At any stage, this disease will invade cucumber plants and the virus spreads systemically in the plant once the plant is infected.

Symptoms appear 7 to 14 days after infection and develop most quickly at low temperatures.

 A pale or dark green mosaic or mottling develops first on the youngest leaves. The outer borders curl inward. New leaves are stunted and twisted.

Flowers can exhibit strange properties like green petals. The fruit of contaminated plants is often smaller and somewhat skewed, and display light and dark green mosaic patterns on the surface.

In this case, it is important to buy the treated seeds for cucumber farming that often highlighted at the label.

Harvesting the right cucumber

The cucumbers are best plucked before their seeds become hard as they are preferred eating as immature.

While a yellow and mature cucumber is of the highest quality when it is uniformly green, firm, and crisp. 

Cucumbers that are left on the vine for a longer period would get tough skins and eventually lower plant productivity.

You should collect fruits during the cucumber cultivation every few days at full harvest time as they grow rapidly once at the peak.

Storage of Mature Cucumber

Although a fresh cucumber has the highest level of water content and crunchiness.

Cucumbers are over 90 percent water. This is ideal to store them wrapped tightly in plastic wrap to retain moisture. if there is a need to store them for a longer time, you will keep them for a week to 10 days when stored properly in the refrigerator.

Also Read: Growing the Avocado